Olympus OM-D E-M1 Review

The E-M1 is the second model in Olympus's OM-D series and extends the range further into semi-pro/enthusiast territory. There are two main distinctions that set the E-M1 apart from its little brother (the E-M5) - a more sophisticated autofocus system and a 'buttons for everything' design approach. As such the two models will coexist, with the E-M1 sitting at the very top of Olympus's lineup.

The biggest technological step forward on the E-M1 is the addition of on-sensor phase detection elements, giving the camera two distinct focus modes. The phase-detection system is used when lenses from the original Four Thirds system, which were designed for use that way, are attached. With native, Micro Four Thirds lenses, the camera will mainly stick with the contrast detection system that has proved so fast and accurate on the E-M5. Only if you use tracking AF will the camera utilize phase-detection information with a Micro Four Thirds lens.

The E-M1 also gains the excellent 2.3M-dot electronic viewfinder panel we first saw as the VF-4 accessory for the PEN E-P5. Not only is the resolution very impressive, but the viewfinder optics give a viewfinder with magnification of up to 1.48x (depending on display mode), which puts it only a fraction behind the 0.76x viewfinder in Canon's 1D X and ahead of Nikon's pro-grade D4 DSLRs.

There's also a more advanced 'TruePic VII' processor in the E-M1 that conducts a variety of lens corrections, when creating JPEGs, leading the company to proclaim the best image quality offered by one of its cameras. Not only can the E-M1 remove the colour fringing caused by lateral chromatic aberration, Olympus says that it also tunes its sharpening to take into account the lens's sharpness, and to combat any softening due to diffraction (particularly at very small apertures).

The biggest difference between the E-M1 and the E-M5, though, is the degree of direct control on offer. We really liked the E-M5's twin-dial control system, but the E-M1 goes beyond that by providing button-and-dial combinations for quickly changing almost every imaginable setting on the camera. It's the kind of approach you don't usually get until the very top of manufacturers' lineups - it means you have to get used to where every function is, but can shoot fluidly once you have.

The E-M1 inherits the '2x2' dial approach Olympus previously used on the E-P5 - flicking a switch on the camera changes the dials from controlling shutter speed, aperture or exposure compensation to changing ISO and white balance. However, all this direct control doesn't come at the expense of the potentially slower but easier to find touch-screen interface - the E-M1 has this too. Overall the camera can be operated pretty much however you fancy.

Built-in Wi-Fi for remote shooting and image transfer to smartphone or tablet

Dust, splash and freeze-proof (to -10 °C)

Gained over the E-M5

True Pic VII processor, with lens corrections

1/8000 sec top shutter speed, 1/320 sec flash sync

Built-in microphone socket (rather than optional accessory adapter)

Flash X-sync socket

Built-in Wi-Fi

Focus 'peaking' display

In-camera HDR blending (two modes), previewed in viewfinder

Four Thirds is dead. Long live Four Thirds.

As well as representing the highest-end Micro Four Thirds camera yet, the E-M1's role is also about offering continued support for users of the original Four Thirds SLR system. Olympus created some very nice Four Thirds lenses, but the company struggled to make enough impact in the SLR market to justify the cost of continuing development for both systems in parallel.

The company claims to have studied what the E-M1 and a hypothetical 'E-7' SLR could offer, and concluded that, while image quality, durability and speed would have been the same, the OM-D design allowed both a substantial size advantage and a much greater viewfinder magnification than would be possible with an optical finder. As such the E-M1 should be considered the successor to the E-5.

We'll look at the performance of the camera with Four Thirds lenses in a little more depth later in this article. But in principle, the on-sensor phase detection autofocus system should be much more effective than contrast detection when it comes to controlling Four Thirds lenses, all of which were primarily designed to be driven by phase detection-based systems.

Comments

Hello, I have an OMD EM5 and 75mm 1.8 lens. Most of my shots aure either out of focus or slow to focus small kids. Is this fast in OMD EM1? Is there a firmware or setting I should look at to make the focussing faster and accurate?

If you're using the lens at wide aperture (such as f1.8) then it has a very narrow depth of field, so fast, relatively close to the camera children will always be a challenge. Tracking auto focus will help - it isn't brilliant on the E-M5 and is reported to be much better on the E-M1 due to its phase detection autofocus. I'm not guaranteeing it'll solve your problem though. If you post in the Micro Four-Thirds forums there are a lot of helpful people there who may be able to offer suggestions.

a 75 is like a 150 on 35mmFF totally the wrong lens for children up close. A 45mm is a much better choice here as it is 90mm equiv. but imo a 25mm (equiv to the nifty fifty) is the best choice.The DOF of the 75 is so narrow it's like 8 cm on a three meter distance a challenge for any camera, a 45 the DOF is 25 cm.I guess you're a beginner that bought into an advanced system.Learn to use it first before spending too much money on lenses that are not suitable for the job!

Olympus in finally making some really excellent M4/3 cameras and glass. I'm almost in, but will wait to see if they will ever get around to adding a "Fully" articulating LCD on their cameras. It's almost as if they think having a limited articulating LCD is somehow a niche'. LOL...Weird...Hopefully, they'll get with the program.

I originally thought the tilt screen was a step backwards compared to the fully articulated screen of my E-620. However, on second thoughts, I feel the tilt screen makes more sense on a touch screen.since it provides a more stable platform when pressing buttons.

You know, the articulating LCD on the 620 was one of those "cool" features like the 'back lit buttons' that I thought would be really handy until day to day practice kinda proved differently. After moving the LCD around for a while first out of the box and saying "cool" a couple times, it rarely moves. I heavily rely on the veiwfinder, so typically, Im not going to-have time/feel like-moving it out and around. I know other's mileage may vary, but Im not sure that a non articulated LCD is a step back like an LCD that you cant see in daylight would be.

I think it's great we are living in a time where all of the camera manufactures are stepping up and producing some really fine products to choose from. Especially when the weakest links are basically subjective ones.

When I use my cameras on a tripod, the fully articulating LCD really shines, for me. When I'm handholding a camera, I prefer to have the LCD closed, which is actually another good reason I prefer a fully articulating LCD.

As far as street shooting is concerned, tilting screen is preferable: it is much quicker to deploy. As far as self-shooting, E-PL5 has tilting screen which flips ~180 degrees up. Of course E-PL5 doesn't have a built-in viewfinder hump.

The OMD-E-M! is a great camera except for one big problem. I want to shoot HD video with it and send the HDMI output to an external video recorder. like a Sound Devices Pix. This camera will not output a video signal through HDMI while shooting, only in playback mode. For me this is a serious flaw on an otherwise great camera.

Panasonic, I believe, introduced something called pinpoint auto focus with the GX1 or G5. Does the E-M1 have a similar auto focus setting? Is this what is refereed to as Single in the Specs? If either of these is true does it work the same way with Olympus as with Panasonic?

Hi, when I have made a picture with the M1, I always have to wait quite a long time to take the next. I use new very fast writing chips (90MBS/sec), but have to wait 2 sec until te camera is ready for the next picture.Why? the last OMD was quicker.second question: when I use an adapted telephoto lens (nikon IF-ED 4,5/300 or Leica Telyt 6,8/400) and use the magnification for focusing accuracy, I can't stabilize the viewfinder image, perhps I overlooked the user's manual? Is it possible to activate the IBIS with adapted lenses with minimum fuss? The viewfinder is not really usable without a stabilization because the image is much too unsteady.With panasonic one have only to half-press the button of the shutter and the viewfinder is stable.Marc

Just had this yesterday with the 12-40 2.8 Still trying out everything but only one thing has really been bothering me, the EVF is so sensitive that it keeps activating and thereby shutting down the screen. This even happens when viewing the pictures in Play mode, a slight pass of anything (shadow, finger, hand) over the EVF turns the screen off and goes to shooting mode. I measured the distance from which the EVF activates and it is 41mm (1.6 inches) from the rubber cup. Anybody got a fix to this?

I had 6 Digital Cameras since 2001. And this Camera makes me Emotional.This is the best one I have used. The one that keeps me excited everyday.Fastest in everything, Sharpest, Cleanest, Great color, Very versatile, Complete bang for the buck. Amazing lens selection at the most reasonable price. Bleeding edge Software and functions. It makes me drop down in tears. I cant believe I was able to save up and get the pre-order and find out that it will go way above my expectation. Thank you olympus, this year was very tough for me, but you are a source of my inspiration... Looking forward to weekend adventures with you.!

Yep, I totally agree. I've owned many cameras, film and digital, but nothing comes close to my O-MD E-M1. Not since a stint with an OM2 Spot Program back in the '80s, have I had so much fun with, and been so impressed by a camera. So glad I offloaded my Nikon D600 and it's bulky everything. That was a nice camera too, but there are too many benefits of this system, like great little lenses, everything's more affordable, way lighter kit, more intuitive GUI, touch screen focus/shoot. I could go on...

Aw, hell..... now I'm misty-eyed. Really, without sarcasm....I'm not that cold-sunnovah out here trolling and tracking; hunting whatever shreds of civil discourse may still be found online, between the lines, so as to crush it and watch it die.. Nor did I ever think a comment might braid itself into a strand of human truth complete with visual, photographic storytelling.... So cool. Now that's inspiring - thanks fellas!

Oly mentions uploading to a PC in their specs for the EM-1. Is there anything in the firmware/hardware/flatware that precludes interfacing with a Mac, or requires something that I'm overlooking? (It shouldn't matter but for complete disclosure I'm using Aperture for PP.)2. I'm not clear if a tethered off-camera flash is fully auto TTL?3. Is it necessary that the cable be a dedicated Oly product to an Oly flash unit?If my questions reflect some confusion and don't make sense please feel free to reframe them as needed.Many thanks, Ty

I was comparing the lowlight and daylight charts of Olympus E-M1 and Panasonic G6 and I noticed that G6 output is much softer in daylight test than in lowlight. Unfortunately I can't attach screenshots in the comment, but you will easily notice this issue, for example at ISO 200 when comparing the resolution test circles with radial lines. Most probably there was some difference in G6 settings in daylight and lowlight tests. I just wonder what could be the cause of that? Thanks

My personal experience with electronic viewfinders is with older cameras (Olympus E-100RS and Minolta Dimage 7i). They were pretty bad. Although they did not prevent me from shooting good pictures, I much prefer the optical viewfinder of my E-510 and E-620 which are currently in my camera bag. Cameras with 24x36 sensors (aka Full Frame) and even APS-C sensors have bigger and brighter viewfinders than OVF in 4/3 models but these cameras are generally too large and heavy to suit my needs. Other prefer them. To each his own.

As much as I like my current cameras with OVF, my next camera will likely use an EVF.

IMHO, the best EVFs are about equal to the worst (mirror) SLR finders.

Advantages - they can be larger, they provide lots of detail, you can see white balance, exposure directly and picture styles in the finder (more or less) and usually provide a more visible image in the dark.

Disadvantages: overall they just look like TVs: contrasty, with lover resolution and unreal colors. They're shiny/bright, which can be distracting when shooting in the dark. You can often see the noise. Sometimes the color balance is quite off. Often not fast enough for action photography (though not really an issue these days i think). You also have to keep them on all the time in order to shoot together with the imaging sensor, i.e. battery drain and potential heat issues.

So compared to low-end DSLRs, the best EVFs are about equal.. Compared to pentaprism OVFs in better DSLRs, EVFs are still pretty crap though they have some advantages in some situations.

The advantage in DSLR compared to film in my opinion, is the ability to see the result instantly AFTER we shoot. Well, using EVF the most useful benefit is, we can preview the result BEFORE we shoot. So, the most important benefits for photographers would be: More precise shooting. We set the WB right, exposure right, etc from the very beginning. Shoot more, less chimping.

One had to "learn" that the VF dims when testing DOF with a preview. No more.

One had to "learn' to guess focus in really dim light or accept some camera guess.No more.

The EM-5 (and especially the EM-1) finder gives you pretty well the look of the file it will create (with the current settings!) and they are good files indeed.. The EM1- has no noticeable graininess is and very sharp indeed (when actually using the camera to TAKE PICTURES, that is) . It gives nothing important away to OVFs and in fast action you turn the image preview off and it's pretty smooth and fast too. OVF had a slight edge there.

The EVFs absolutely leaves OVFs in the Dust when you are shooting scenes like this ..

I just starting shooting today with the E-M1 in Tignes France. It was about -15C and the camera was in the air all day. Shooting World Class skiers in burst mode and it never missed a beat. Shot with the 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II. Great results. Did not use all of one battery all day.

Am planning a trip to Antarctica, taking wildlife photos of penguins, seals, whales etc on ship and land. Also decent landscape photos of icebergs. Need something weathersealed, freeze resistant. My research so far points to OMD E-M1 or Pentax K5 II for my budget. Would appreciate advise from any of you semi-pros to help my choice. TIA

Sadly, even with dark frame substitution by the camera, try to get back some information from the shadow (RAW or jpg) with a long exposure at same temperature from E-M5 and E-M1 (there are plenty of samples on the web...). You will see the noise problem with the E-M1 (or "poor performance", as you want). THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE EVEN WITH DARK FRAME SUBSTITUTION. Silly story for a 1400 euros camera.As i do a lot of long exposures, i will avoid this camera until the problem is solved. But i'm afraid it won't be only a software issue fixed by firmware, as it looks like a termal problem with the sensor, it could by heated by an electronic board (or PDAF sensors ?). That would explain why an older camera with nearly the same sensor can perform better for long exposure. My message is not to attack Oly, as i'm a king of Oly fanboy but just to say it is a real problem and Oly must work on it !

Dark Frame Substraction is not intended to control noise in shadow areas of your pictures. It will remove hot pixels that appear in your images during long exposures or when your camera warms up. That's why "Noise Reduction" is best left on "Auto".

To control noise in shadow areas, you apply the Noise Filter (next item in your menus after Noise Reduction). You should choose a level that you feel is appropriate for your type of photography. That's why there are different settings for this. Experiment.

You have picked one of the best cameras on the market. Mastering it requires more effort than using a point&shoot. Just like shifting gears on a Ferrari requires more skill than doing so on a Toyota.

The Fuji X-T1 is a great product. I still have my loved old FinePix S602z, but today my Olympus E-3 and 510 are my usual cameras. Many users have put many money in Zuiko lenses and compatibles as Sigma 150 macro, Bigma 50-500... Remote Shutter, Ring Flash, ... adapter rings with confirmation chip,...As eating them can cause me digestive problems, is more intelligent to buy for a new camera that can support other ... say ... 5 years,OM-1 looks interesting, I'm aware that has weak points, poor video quality is the biggest disappointment for me, I hoped to use the magnificent lens video, "mi gozo en un pozo" (my happiness in a hole)Sure Oly perform better in the next successor cámara, but I do not want to wait 2-3 years longer.Desde España, Excuse me my poood english

HII am testing this photo camera at the moment and every thing fine but....The long exposures as mentioned above are really disaster. There is so much noise in dark parts of the photo that 100% of photos I made last evening and night are to be put in a rubbish can. The noise in blacks gets up to 50% of total pixels. I don't understand why actually there is possibility to shoot for up to 60 seconds if this camera with 20 seconds can't cope. Dpreview should review this information and put some test shots. I would save hundreds of euro if anyone would test it first. Unfortunately I am selling the images in galleries and big part of my collection are evening and night photos, so clearly I did loose going to Olympus.Search again if you are going to change your camera.

Unfortunately, this is a big issue with many, if not all, E-M1s units. They do perform much worse than, say, E-M5 in low light situations when NR is turned OFF. Even 1 second exposures might be total crap without NR ON.

Me and other M43 fellows have raised this question with Olympus multiple times. However, Olympus refuses to give any definitive answer.

So, my advice to you is to either return your camera back as faulty, or, if you still want to keep it - set your Noise Reduction to Auto. It will help you with night shots by applying dark-frame subtraction to every shot you take. Note, though, that every shot you are going to make will take double time of your exposure.

Are the images normal/low noise once the dark frame substatction is done? If so, thats OK. On my Panasonic GF and GX1's thats how it works and the imges are fine. It's a minor niusance to wait for the dark frame but not the end of the world.

On the fence about getting this cam, the GX7 for its size or replacing my 50d with the new kid on the block.

People are lauding the customization of this camera and I’m certainly intrigued by the dual controls dials. What I’d like to know is if it offers functionality equivalent to the TAv mode of Pentax/ Ricoh.

So can you use one dial for the aperture, the other for shutter speed, while the ISO is automatically adjusted for correct exposure? The Rioch GR is the only camera I know where you can do that with thumb and middle finger (index on shutter). It’s hugely liberating.

You can customize your dials the way you want. E-M1 is extremely flexible! So, you can set a rear dial to control aperture, front one to control shutter speed (or vice versa), and set your ISO to auto.

Be aware, though, before buying E-M1, of the noise issue this camera has when it takes shots in low-light situations without dark-frame subtraction (aka Noise Reduction ON).

I am wondering if anyone has raised a question about E-M1's sensor performance in poor lighting conditions and long exposures. There seems to ba a major problem with E-M1. These are the links I found so far (including my own thread on Flickr) reporting the issue (with images to scratch your head about):

I have no personal experience with the E-M1, still saving up to buy one, but Noise Reduction (aka Dark Frame Substraction) should normally be left on Auto with any digital camera. The number of hot pixels showing up during long exposures will vary from camera to camera and will also change depending if your camera's internal parts are cold, warm or hot.

As far as residual noise is concerned, there will always be some noise filtering applied in any camera, even in the Off position. Noise filtering is a necessary evil and it is done at the expense of image precision and detail. For that reason, it is very possible that Olympus have chosen to use a less agressive noise filtering algorithm on the E-M1 than on the E-M5 to preserve more detail in the final picture. This may be based on the idea that pros should know how to get rid of objectionable noise in post processing. Therefore, I don't see this as a sensor fault, just a logical engineering decision. You may prefer the E-M5 settings.

However, based on my research I've done for the last 3 days I can prove that my E-M1 unit is faulty.

1. When E-M1 is compared to E-M5 (GH3 and GX1) with NR turned OFF, it definitely shows unacceptable level of noise, thus not "preserving more detail in the final picture", but ruining it! Look at this sample, please (its only 800 ISO): http://www.flickr.com/photos/xlsmile/10834554343/sizes/o/

2. There is no Dark-frame subtraction applied in E-M5 by default (as some suggested), because otherwise, all long exposure shots would take twice as much to process, but no-one reported a time doubling with E-M5. Therefore, the E-M5 to E-M1 comparison seems to be correct, and E-M5 wins. Look at the samples on http://www.mu-43.com/showthread.php?t=53621

3. No-one from Olympus has reassured me (despite my multiple appeals) that E-M1 was designed this "particular" way, and that it has been a logical engineering decision.

That's exactly what I am trying to find out about - is my unit faulty, along with other ones in October-November shipments, or it's a common issue with all E-M1s?

If it's the way the E-M1 has been engineered to implement a new Dual-Fast AF sensor with AA filter removed, there is no point repairing or replacing my unit. I will just get a full refund for it and pick, say, E-M5.

Unfortunately, Olympus doesn't reply to my queries about the E-M1 sensor performance that is way worse than E-M5's one.

Beautiful camera. As the review says, it's a 'Pro' camera that's half the size of a pro camera. It truly does everything my D800 does, plus a lot more. For example, live view (and review) in the EVF. The form factor is perfect, for a camera that does as much as it does. If anything, it even feels a tad 'small' in my hand (and I stepped up from E-PL5).

With the 12-40 2.8 lens, any good photographer can get any shot, and it will be crisp. That said, the 75 1.8 seems totally made for this camera.

P.S. All the JPG stuff is wasted on me as I only shoot RAW, but hey that's legacy stuff anyhow and it's nice that Oly included it. I look forward to trying it out over the next few weeks.

I wish Olympus would make an OM-DF, which would be the size of the OM-D M1 with a full frame 24/36MP sensor, that would take the older OM-1 lenses. If Sony can do it with its A7/A7R, surely Olympus can too.

And it would be a niche product at an incredible price that would be approx. twice the current cost. Money is money, but the issue is that the photos produced would not be improved by twice. FF is still a small amateur format and the differences between FF, APS-C, and 4/3 is not great enough to see unless compared at large enlargements side by side. Thats why comparisons at sites such as this must be given at 100% crops to see a difference. So, is the increase in cost worth the increase in out come? Not to mention that the FF format that follows the idiotic 35mm frame size, requires that you crop off 20% of those precious extra pixels that were just purchased in order to make any standard size print. No one ever stood at a photo exibit and said, "That would have been a better photo if it had been taken with Cannon FF camera". A friend once paid $750 for a Honda push mower. I asked why he didnt buy a $100 mower. He said that it would last longer. 7 times longer? Just sayin.

Correct on the price, incorrect on the comparison. The 7R will most closely compare with the features of the E-M1and it is nearly twice as expensive. Of course Oly can develop lenses, that is why Sony has collaborated with Oly to produce lenses…after all, its the lenses that makes Oly hang on. And if they fall, they will live on in Sony lenses. Sony has the money might to undersell anyone's cameras, their weakness is lenses. But again, not everyone wants a FF camera. Galen Rowell could have used Rollie or Linhof which all the photo enthusiasts of the day would argue to the end was better that 35mm, but Galen chose to use Nikon F. He could have used any of those or a K1000 and his photos would have been just as spectacular. Also, he would have made just as good a living. I have learned to use the characteristics of 4/3 (advantages and disadvantages) to my advantage and have no need or desire for FF. Others will find it too small for a FF camera, others that it isn't a proper Canikon.

If you have no need or desire for a FF, then you wouldn't be interested in the camera I described. On the other hand, I can't imagine any Olympus owner, past or present, who wouldn't be interested in a OM-D M1 with a 24MP full frame sensor for a $300 premium. I'll be interested in Olympus announcements coming up in January/February 2104.

2104…wow thats a long wait! Just kidding don't get mad. The question at hand is whether its a niche camera and the observation that FF is not better enough to warrant the increase in cost. Again, the A7 is not comparable to the E-M1 the A7R is and that premium is $1000. Everyone does not want FF, some photographers still use film (GASP) and not every 4/3 user wants FF. In my short life, I have owned and sold Graflex 4x5, Rollieflex, Mamiya C, Mamiya RB, Pentax 645n, Fuji 645, and Pentax, Minolta and Cannon 35s. I started digital with Nikon, tried Oly and here I am, mostly because of the 50mm f2. Point is, many photographers are no longer hopping about trying to find the perfect camera that does not exist. And, the E-M1 and E-M5 are already niche cameras, who will buy that niche camera at $1000 premium. Canikon will sell lotsa cameras, Sony will sell lots cause many folks remember the brand from their Walkman when they were a kid, but Oly will never sell lotsa cameras, FF or otherwise.

Check back and you will see that you said 2104 not 2014, hence the joke. That would be a 90 year wait! 110 vs 35mm was a valid argument in 1980 with film what it was then, but, again, not comparable to 4/3 vs FF in 2014. Your point that 'just because Im not interested in FF doesn't mean no one is' is absolutely right! My point is that just because you want a FF Oly doesn't mean every one wants a FF Oly and that is equally right! This goes back to whether a FF Oly would be a niche camera as Audiomarc stated in his post and that I agreed with. The E-M1 is already a niche camera and FF will not make it less so no matter how much one wishes it to. In the mean time, I will buy whatever I have to so I can use my 50mm f2 as long as I can. Incidentally, the next Oly in this series will most likely be a lower end offering for the folks who don't need stuff like weather sealing.

Agreed. Why would Oly try to battle Canikon for a segment that they can not compete and is not positioned loose more capital.

True on the comparison. 4/3 vs FF is like comparing 645 and 6x7 as far as the visible differences are concerned. The camera companies have squashed all the megapixels into a given format that they can so the next reason for buying a new camera every 2 years is to convince everyone they need a bigger sensor. As more megapixels is not the answer to poor photography, so it is that a bigger sensor is not either. Wisdom from my own camera hopping in the 70's and 80's.

And yes, 4/3 is that good…far better than folks who don't know would give it credit.

Problem is Olympus has long been with 4/3 size sensor. If they change it may cause chaos problem to the current 4/3 lens line up that may not work well with full frame sensor. It is not such good idea to take a risk to go for FF. Just stick to 4/3 for now and many people can easily buy any 4/3 lens what they want. If Olympus want to head to FF sensor, it'll take years for Olympus to make FF lens for Digital mirrorless camera, (especially for digital sensor).

An Olympus sales rep calculated that the lag time is equivalent to the time it takes light to travel 33 inches! He told me the actual lag time in fractions of a second but I don't remember the number - sorry. The 33 inches did stick in my head however. :-)

I have just started shooting with my M-1. Of course the first thing I had to do was a studio shot ;-0, it was a product shot and it was spot on. Wine bottles and such and it did a great job and I didn't even shoot in RAW(need to figure out how to process this on my new software). The directions are a bit lousy, but worth figuring out. The Mysets really are helpful. And if I may add, I'm a retired prof, so I don't shoot daily these days but this camera is a joy to carry around, I'm 5'3" and with small hands so I can say the grip is no prob, and actually welcomed. Agreed, it's not "cute" or retro-looking, but it's easy to shoot with and cart about. I have gone with only primes so I do a lot of switching but I can bring everything with me and it's still lighter than my old Nikon and two lenses!

Im am mainly shooting portraits in Studio and I am using an Oly E-3 DLRS. I am considering moving up to a full frame DLRS to improve image quality. What I would like to see is a comparison of quality between E3 and E M-1 to be able to make the decision of going for the E M-1, which would allow me to retain my 4/3 lenses and save a lot of money or go full frame DLRS.

Portraits are not very challenging in terms of resolution. I started with a Canon 10D at 6MP and never had an issue with resolution even up to 40x60 inch prints.

I still display 30x40 inch prints in my studio made with an 8MP 1DmkII even though I now use the 5DmkIII. You have all the resolution you need with EM-1 and have a ton of great lenses to boot.I am actually getting a m43 kit for weddings and events where discretion and low weight are important. My Daughter's Oly EP-L2 convinced me that the quality was there.

You don't really need a comparison. EM1 has 60% more resolution, has much more dynamic range (more like current APS-C sensors, at least 2/3 stop better in lighlights) and has about 3 stops advantage in high ISO's. 6 years is a long time in sensor tech. You're way overdue for an upgrade!

What should concern yourself more is if the E-M1 works best with your lenses. E-M1 has PDAF but not all 43 lenses work as well with it. You can check in the Olympus SLR forum (and not the m43 forum) where there's plenty of user experience topics with specific lenses. For example, the 12-60. 50mm f2 and the 150mm f2 seem to work well with it. The 300mm f2.8, not so much.

I have both cameras. The EM1 AF with Oly glass is instant. Just lift, press the shutter all the way down, it will focus and fire at the same time. Make sure you set it so it doesn't release unless it's in focus.

It's a fraction faster than the EM5 but the biggest difference is in accuracy. The EM1 is signifigantly more accurate than the EM5. With the EM5 if you press to shoot; sometimes you end up with an unfocussed shot when the camera thought it was in focus when actually it wasn't. The EM1 is iin focus all the time. I've shot over 2000 frames and only had maybe 2 out of focus shots.

Also of importance is that the EM1 focusses MUCH better in low light even without the AF lamp assist on. It's faster and more accurate in low light.

It's fast enough that I don't even use the burst shot/tracking. I just press the shutter as fast as I need. More accurate too.

I am considering get the EM 1. Although I would like to use that amazing 24-80mm F/ 2.8, I also think, at the same time, about the humble 24-100mm F/3.5-6.3. It`s well known that this lens is good but has limitations, for example the AC. Nevertheless, do you notice some improvements in its performance with the EM-1???

sorry late reply. i only work the camera between 12-45mm and carry the primes at those focal lengths. the only zoom i use on it is the 12-40 pro. mainly shoot indoor events so zoom longer focal lengths hasnt been necessary for me. sorry cant answer that for you.

Alejandro: I have both an E-M1 and E-M5 with the 12-50 and 12-40mm lenses. The new lens, the 12-40 is clearly better from a spec standpoint, but the kit lens holds its own by my tests. Plus it has a macro mode. That said, it sits on my shelf because the 12-40 has a larger (constant) aperture and the images are flatter focus across the whole field. Both are good lenses, but the 40 is a great lens.

Hi, Boris F., I am considering an EM 1 or an EM 5. I think like you that maybe the next EM would be great (20MP for example could be more useful with a better ISO 6400). But I have a question, please: although the AF of the EM-5 is very fast, is it true that sometimes -just sometimes- does not get an accurate focus even with good light? Thank you.

Sometimes not getting focus even DSLR does that. So yes it happens but it's the nature of the beast.

Personally, very tempted to get the e-m1 but knowing oly there will be an e-m5 replacement that improves on it rather soon. So... as there isn't anything I regularly do that needs the e-m1 features I am waiting and seeing if there would be a price drop.

Hi Alejandro,E-M5 has no phase detection AF. It is use a contrast detection auto focusing. So focus on flat colored object can be unsuccessful. I thought before, that phase detection + contrast focusing is an advantage (EM-1 use both). But, look on recently released Sony A7 and A7r. Most advanced camera from these two is with contrast detection AF only. Sometimes contrast detection AF can be an advantage, for example on fast moving object with automatic AF area selection (birds for example).Hope it is help. In any case both cameras are pretty cool. Let’s say, EM-1 is more advanced from two. But I already have E-M5 :)Best

Because if they don't put grips, you're stuck with primes and slow kit zooms on the smaller bodies. You can try to put a 12-40 f2.8 lens on a Panasonic GM1 but it will be pretty unbalanced.

All things considered, the E-M1 is smaller than pretty much all DSLRs. Very much smaller than pro DSLR's. The difference is more striking when a lens is attached.

The thing that escapes you is that many people have two separate kinds of cameras: the big DSLR with lenses and a smaller option (which is sometimes mirrorless, other times just compacts). The E-M1 and the "pro" lenses are an attempt to lure those with (semi-)pro DSLR's to buy into mirrorless, not just as a second system, but as only one system (ditch their DSLR's).

Another thing is that the lower-end segment of the mirrorless market is not so profitable, but there's an opportunity to "cash in" for manufacturers with the higher end market. It's largely untapped.

all i want is an attractive nex/pen/gf1/xa-1 sized camera, has an interchangeable lens and a full frame sensor. make the EVF adaptable, because i dont want it. give me a built in flash and i'll be so happy i wet myself. if it sucks the life out of batteries dont worry i'll buy some spares, just dont make it so big i dont want to take it outside with me on every occasion.

we live in the future so this camera should exist. id pay through the nose for a camera like this, and so would plenty of people.

You're going to get your wish by 2014 if rumors are to be believed. Sony will be first with a stripped-down version of the A7 without the grip and EVF hump. Essentially a NEX5 but with a full frame sensor.

However, reality will set in when you try to attach lenses to it. Only the 35mm F2.8 will look ok with it, the rest will look even more ridiculous than current NEX (APS-C) and bulky zooms.

Why do they put grips on mirrorless cameras? It's simple. Every time a company builds a digital camera without one, folks in forums like this start complaining that it doesn't have a grip so they can't use their Magilla Zoom comfortably. This happened when Oly made the E-620 with it's diminutive grip and the same happened with the E-M5 even though there was an excellent 2 piece grip set that solvled all problems. In the film days, grips were expected to be an accessory purchase. In the beginning of digital,the built in grip was where the large battery was placed. Now, it is expected that it will be built in and will be complained about incessently if not there.

McFern, you couldn't have said it better. I agree with Alec that I'm waiting for a small camera with an optional grip, but whenever someone makes what I want, like my trusty Nikon V1, the camera gets bashed by those who don't understand the benefits that could be had with a mirrorless camera. And then you get Frankencameras like the Nikon V2 with grip, or this latest Oly EM-1. Seriously, Olympus almost had me with the EM-5 and I am a 16 year Nikon shooter with tons invested in Nikon gear.

We are our own worst enemy when it comes to camera design. In the film days, a 35mm camera had to have one side to put the film cartridge, one side for the take up spool, and a large housing for the large slr viewfinder housing. Today, a digital camera need not look that way but then nothing new or different sells. In 1980, every motorcycle magazine described every Japanese motorcycle as a UJM (universal Japanese motorcycle) because they were so much alike. Today we have the 'Universal Japanese Digital Camera'. Canikon set the tone and all other have followed. Oly tried to be different at first (E-300 comes to mind) but it hurt sales and folks complained so now they look alike too. And before someone freaks, I know there are some cameras that look decidedly different, but the main stream all look alike. Make the lines straighter, make them rounder, but without the company name in 4 inch letters on the strap, you cant tell one from the other. So this camera is no uglier other UJDCs.

actually if you use the EM1, you'll know why the grip was necessary. Once you put on a full metal zoom lense like the Zuiko 12-40 f2.8 on, the grip is an absolute necessity.

I tried the Zuiko 12-40 on the EM5 without a grip and you can barely hold the camera up without death gripping it.

It was designed to be a professional camera and to take the 4/3 glass; meaning it needs to be able to handle heavier lenses. The EM5 wasn't designed to be a pro grade camera. It's meant to take only small primes so the grip isn't entirely necessary.

The integrated grip also allowed them to better layout the controls. If you use the EM5 controls, which, imo, are excellent, then you use the EM1, you'll immediately see and feel the difference.

Yes, I think the grip is ugly but it looks great once you put on the vert battery grip; which I have on all the time.

A grip may be a nice feature or not, depending on your preferences, but is never 'absolutly necessary'. In the '80s, I carried around a Pentax MX and used a Pentax A70~210 f4 zoom often. That camera measured 135x82x49 mm and weighed 495g and the lens 72x149 mm and weighed 680g. In comparison, the E-M1 is 130x93x63 mm @ 497g and the 12~40 is 69x84 @ 382g. I never bought the winder grip for the MX because I did not need it and I would not 'need' a grip on the E-M1 either. Shooting a camera is like firing a handgun; the trigger hand points the camera and operates the trigger, the support hand supports the weight and operates the zoom or focus. The E-M5 2 piece grip has it right, use it if you want it, leave it off if you dont. A grip does not make a camera a 'professional camera'. There is no such thing as a 'professional camera'. Professional is a word tacked onto a high end camera that denotes that it is special for the purchaser, kinda like 'new and improved' on a detergent box.

My opinion is that the grip should be the same size as the smallest lens for the camera. If the 14mm f2.5 pancake can slip into something, a grip that sticks out the same distance will not affect my being able to slip the camera into said thing, but will give me the ability to hold the camera. I don't quite understand the lack of grips on these cameras. I like having the buttons that come on a larger grip. I didn't even consider the EM5 because it looked like it sacrificed too much in terms of ergonomics for the sake of a retro design that appeals to an older generation. To me, the EM1 is about as good looking as it gets, and I'm thrilled with the grip. I don't like the hump, but if I get a fantastic viewfinder out of it, I won't complain too much.I am going to purchase an EM1/12-40 bundle as soon as it is offered.

Ah the old full MARKETING frame (FMF) ruse ... fine for you to WANT it, of course, but not necessary for quality work.

Saves us all from the marketing departments and the perceptions they can imprint in the impressionable mind.

Like the DOF ruse. Easy to get well-blurred backgrounds with fase Zuikos. The degree is irrelevant.

Ever SOLD a portrait where the ears have disappeared? As a tool EM-5, EM-1 work very well.

You can carry twice as much gear to the site without Arnold being your bricks and bazookas caddy.If you want a toy to play with, then by all means. shoot at f 0.95 on FMF all day and generate 99% blur with sharp lenses. Lomography is better suited to that style of thing.

I couldn't even SEE the camera operator in this series. NO OVF would have given me that shot, but the EM5 nailed it in a microsecond.

This is up there on my list of dream bodies and systems (yes, I have bled OLY blue for decades since growing up with mum's old half-frame PEN EE series). But if I have to nitpick (and we always have to nitpick here, that's a given!),

then it is the lack of infrared remote capability. Great that it has WIFI, which many will prefer for its wealth of possibilities. But give me the simplicity of a standard little remote any day. And, while I commend DPREVIEW for a speedy full review here, I have to say:

Are those DUST MOTES on the top plate of the camera on page 3 of the review? And a crooked flash shoe cover at that? I sure hope not, and that it is just my tired eyes and monitor at this hour, but if it is ...

then C'mon now DPREVIEW, don't start slacking now on the pristine camera body shots that you have always excelled at. It is a signature of this site, so keep up those high standards we have come to expect, we sorely need such a constant in these tumultuous times!

Cool I wonder how does it compares to the 1dx or at least an 5d iii, 7d for professional sports/birds in flight? I know the dslrs has an faster burst rate but I was wondering if this m43 camera is as capable in the AF department? (Sry I DNT know much about current m43 tech)

Does anybody know if this new E-M1 can be tethered via a USB cable to show LiveView shooting to a Laptop would then be great for Commercial Product Table Top, just a question, I am using Canon 6D for that now.

The problem is that a 4:3 screen is taller. A few years ago, they could still afford to make 4:3 screens on the cameras, but as the market demanded bigger screen and smaller cameras, something had to give.

You can set the camera to shoot in the 3:2 format though the RAW files will still be 4:3

According to 43rumors. Olympus is going to launch a new M4/3 camera. I think it may be a OMD E-M6. E-M5 announced almost 2 years ago. It’s time to announce a new successor.

E-M1 is practical but it’s not as beautiful as E-M5. Most of enthusiasts want to hang a beautiful camera on their neck. On the other hand, when E-M1 is mounted with some sliver prime lenses say 12mm F2.0, 45mm F1.8, and 75mm F1.8. It looks weird. E-M1 is perfect for pro-photographer but not suitable for enthusiasts who want beautiful outlook and portability.

Fuji, Nikon are going to launch FF retro mirrorless cameras. Olympus must launch a new retro OMD to secure the market share.

As long as it's not a complete eyesore, I prefer a camera that feels goods in my hands. Quirky ergonomics and sticky small buttons are a turn-off on the E-M5 IMHO but maybe they will fix that on the "E-M6", just like they fixed it on the E-M1.

@Nerval: I do realize that one can obtain "good" IQ. However, I see little Point in using a 2000.- plus € lens like the 2.0 14-35 when one cannot obtain OPTIMUM IQ.

@Martin.au: why would Roger Cicalas findings not apply to FT lenses? For sure they follow the same physical laws as all other lenses.

I would not be that much concerned if the MMF3 Adapter was decently constructed in full metal. Just look at the old EX-25 Extension tube for example and compare its excellent quality to the cheapy, plasticy MMF3! I hope Olympus will provide a better quality Adapter that matches the quality of the camera Body and the old FT lenses.

No doubt, the EM-1 is a great camera! However, for those (like me) who want to continue working with the gorgeous FT Pro lenses, the EM-1 will still no replacement for the outdated E-5. I truly believe that FT lenses cannot be used on ANY MFT body without serious IQ loss until a better adapter than the current MMF2/3 is available. The material/build-quality of the MMF3 will for sure cause misalignment, flex and movement. Just have a look at Roger Cicala's findings and their discussion here: http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3553373

You do realize that Roger Cicala is the geekiest pixel peeper of us all, which is alright (I mean his blog is fantastic, and the content is of great quality), but you did notice that he is expressing concern regarding lens testing measurements which might not be accurate given the variations on the mount. Nowhere does he say that you cannot obtain good IQ, just that it probably cannot deliver optimum IQ.

In Roger Cicala's words:

"What Does It Mean in the Real World?

Like a lot of laboratory testing, probably not a lot. Adapters couldn’t all stink or people wouldn’t use them. Like a lot of tests, you can detect a very real difference in the lab that doesn’t make much difference at all in the real world."

Caution, real world experience here: My most used E-M1 lens is the 12-60 Oly on the MMF3 adapter. It has been excellent for me. On the E-M5, it rattled around a lot and not infrequently, missed focus entirely. Not on the E-M1. I just completed a 7-day assignment including a 5-day whitewater float on a 1-man raft; the E-M1 and 12-60 performed spectacularly. The D600 stayed safe in a waterproof case, the D800e stayed at home.I'm convinced that was the right choice.

@Nerval: I do realize that one can obtain "good" IQ. However, I see little Point in using a 2000.- plus € lens like the 2.0 14-35 when one cannot obtain OPTIMUM IQ.

@Martin.au: why would Roger Cicalas findings not apply to FT lenses? For sure they follow the same physical laws as all other lenses.

I would not be that much concerned if the MMF3 Adapter was decently constructed in full metal. Just look at the old EX-25 Extension tube for example and compare its excellent quality to the cheapy, plasticy MMF3! I hope Olympus will provide a better quality Adapter that matches the quality of the camera Body and the old FT lenses.

I don't know - I'd put the 50mm macro on the MMF-3 ahead of any mFT lens I own for IQ. It is hardly just 'good'.

Then again, you should be able to adjust to your heart's content with the ability to set front/rear adjustments on every one of the PDAF sensors, per lens, if you have issues with the adapter... I'd be surprised if the adapter variation is any worse than PDAF variation on a dSLR.

Sadly the low light performance is only perceived because of the smaller sensor. The sensor is only about 33% smaller in area than an APS-C sensor. Just look at those ISO 6400 images and tell me that I am wrong.

Sometimes it makes a difference; the OMD have proven to handle high ISO very well, going toe to toe with all but the very best cameras and FF.

Whatever difference there is in APSC vs m/43 sensor, it only really equates to about 1/3 stop difference; neglible in real world shooting. I shoot events without flash with the EM5 and EM1. Works very well.

I moved from APSC down to the EM5 and to be honest; there's no real world difference except in DOF differences. FF vs m4/3? yeah likely a full stop difference, maybe slightly more.

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